1883-S VAM-4

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in October 1978, VAM-4 on the 1883 San Francisco Morgan Dollar is cataloged as III2 3, C3a (Doubled 1-3) with die pair 186. The obverse (III2 3) exhibits doubled digits in the date: the 1 is doubled slightly below the upper crossbar and strongly at the upper right of the vertical shaft, producing a triangular projection extending into the field. The 3 shows doubling at the bottom left inside of the lower loop. The first 8 displays horizontal polishing marks at the right inside of the upper loop, a secondary die marker useful for attribution. The reverse (C3a) is a normal die. This 90% silver dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint during a year when that facility produced approximately 6.25 million Morgan Dollars, and VAM-4 stands as one of the earliest documented varieties for the 1883-S date, reflecting nearly five decades of continuous study since Field's original discovery. Date doubling on Morgan Dollars is among the most sought-after VAM features, as the numerals provide clear reference points for measuring the degree and direction of hub shift.

External References